L. Conrad wrote:
> I'm asking this because I have several friends and a
brother in law
> with diabetes. My BIL doesn't need insulin as he controls
his
> diabetes with diet alone. He's on a really low carb diet
and is doing
> great. He also lost his excess weight. No, his
cholesterol levels
> are not out of sight, staying under 200. He is in his
mid 70s now.
> But my friends, ages from 50 to 75 will not eat a low carb
diet, one
> doesn't even seem to realize what foods are high in carbs
or sugars.
> One says carbs are necessary for health. The research
I've done so
> far says that is not true since humans can make their own
carbs from
> protein by splitting off one atom or some such (think
Eskimos and far
> north peoples). I learned no one ever suffered a carb
deficiency.
> They are unwilling to give up the foods they love such as
potatoes,
> peas, bagels, cereals, corn etc.
>
> The questions a
>
> Can a diabetic, already on insulin control their
blood-sugar better by
> adopting a very low carb, or near no carb diet?
> Can a diabetic who adopts a low carb diet improve their
blood values
> and need LESS insulin?
> Would the need for less insulin be better for their
general health?
> Can a diabetic slowly lower their carb levels to see if
less insulin
> is needed?
>
> Your replies will be printed and given to them this coming
weekend.
>
> Thank you for your time.......

Any carb modification is better than none. Along with their
meds and regular exercise, carb lowering is an ideal way to
gain good control. Just cutting out carbs though without
checking that proper nutrition is maintained is not a good
idea. A knowledge of basic nutrition won't go astray. Weight
loss helps enormously with control, it is one of the best
insulin resistance remedies going.